The other boy that lived
by Tanis Grey
Summary: What if Harry Potter had made different choices, would the Wizarding world have survived? This takes place in an A/U.
1. Chapter 1

The Other Boy-that-Lived

By

Tanis Grey (Author)

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters associated with the Harry Potter Series of books. (A/N: But boy do I wish I did, Sob)

The beginning of the end

Tom "Voldemort" Morvolo Riddle, aka many things, stepped over the still twitching body of James Potter and flowed up the stairs to the second floor on the trail of Lily Potter. Hurry Lily thought to herself as she threw up another ward on the door to the baby's room, that monsters coming and I have to get Harry out of here.

"Oh James please hold him off for a few more seconds love," she sobbed, the last of the wards sliding in to place. She turned and raced to the crib, tears already rolling down here face. As she reached the crib she heard "Expositus Praemium" and then the door burst open and Voldemort strolled in.

"Were those pathetic wards supposed to stop me," he said as he raised his wand not towards Lily but the baby.

"Intereo Bardus Deleo!" Voldemort barked happily.

"NO!" Lily screamed as she jumped in front of the Unforgivable Spell and then simply fell to the floor dead.

"Fool" he said stepping over Lily's body and pointing his wand at the head of Harry.

Now, to rid myself of you Harry Potter "Avada Kedavra!" the spell burst from his wand and then everything went wrong.

'Consequences be damned' Sirius Black thought as he arrived in a burst of smoke in front of the Potter's house still covered in blood from the carnage the Deatheater had caused in the metro, and froze. The front door was missing as was the second floor, he screamed James and Lily's name once as he rushed into the house wand in hand and blood in his eyes, and then he stopped as he saw the body of James crumpled on the floor and his shoulders slumped it was too late.

"No!" he sobbed, "it's not fair, why Lily, James and Harry why not me instead?" then he heard the sound of a crying baby. He rushed up what was left of the stairs and was stunned the only thing left was the crib and the floor around it. He leaped over to the remaining floor and approached the crib his wand still in his hand and looked down to see Harry crying with a lightning scar on his forehead.

Suddenly Aurors began Apparating in around him.

"Confundus" Said one catching him off guard.

"Accio" said another and his wand flew out Sirius's hand and into his.

"Redimio Silentium" said a third gagging and binding him.

"Take him away" said the last one, as he stepped over to the crib, "The Boy who lived and you were going to finish him huh? Thank the maker we got here in time."

Please review

I'll upload the second chapter after getting some reviews let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

(A/N) "Thank you" to the 140 plus readers who have visited and read my story's first chapter on fanfiction.

I had a bit of trouble and am now just uploading the second chapter. Sorry to all for the long wait.

Enjoy,

Tanis Grey

P.S. I am too lazy to type that disclaimer thingy, much less cut and paste it, every time so, um, err, read chapter one if you feel the need to be disclaimed.

Imaginary friends are trouble

Ever since Harry could remember his imagination had been impressive, he had imagined a friend called Horace. Horace was a house elf, which of course would disappear as soon as any of the Dursleys would get close; the Dursleys couldn't see him because they believed that there should be no free thought imagination was forbidden; he played with Harry in his cupboard under the stairs at # 4 Privet Drive. Especially when he was being punished as he was right now.

Horace was an awesome imaginary friend because Harry would tell him his wishes and somehow they would come true.

Once Harry had wished for food that wasn't left over, or the burnt portions off the bottom of the pot; starting the next meal he found that his food was so good it was fit for a king. Harry knew deep down that it was his Aunt Petunia doing it because she made the meals, when she wasn't making him do it, and she would never give him the wrong plate. But, it was fun to pretend that Horace was the one responsible, and he never forgot to thank Horace either.

Another time, Harry wished he had better toys to play with but lamented to Horace that Dudley would just take them for himself.

The following week the postman brought two packages to the Dursley's house, one addressed to Dudley and the other one to Harry. When they were opened they were found to be two identical sets of toys, only Dudleys looked more expensive. The note said that it was from a friend of the family and so Harry got his toys and was able to keep them. Again he thanked Horace for his good fortune.

The only odd thing about this was the confused expression that his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had on their faces when harry thanked them for things. Especially since Aunt Petunia always seemed to go out of her way to let Harry know how unworthy he was; Uncle Vernon never passed up a chance to tell Harry what a freak and troublemaker he was.

And then there was the incident. A few weeks before the incident, Harry was whining to Horace that he wished he wasn't so hidden behind the scenes. How nice it would be to meet some of the interesting people that visited Uncle Vernon; instead of always having to hide in Dudley's second room.

Uncle Vernon prepared the house for the visit from his new boss at Grunnings for a week. Harry had been repeatedly told to stay in Dudley's second room, quietly, no matter what. Carpenters had even been brought in to shore up the floor so that it would not creak if Harry had to move around, since Dudley's second room was above the family's sitting room. Uncle Vernon planned to make a great impression and Harry planned to have fun playing, quietly, with his toys in Dudley's far nicer, not to mention that it was larger than his cupboard under the stairs, second room; to bad neither plan worked out.

Both plans were going well until suddenly the floor around Harry gave way and he dramatically joined the rest of the family in the sitting room. Falling through the floor onto the couch is definitely a show stopper in most countries. Harry bounced up off the couch covered in dust, and with wood chips sticking out of his clothes and hair in random locations.

Aunt Petunia screamed in surprise and horror, Dudley screamed in surprise and then laughed when he saw Harry's extremely disheveled appearance; Uncle Vernon's new boss exclaimed "what the bloody hell," as he swiftly moved away from the falling rubble; Uncle Vernon simply stood up.

Uncle Vernon stood there pale faced torn between wanting to kill "the little freak" as he frequently called him and rushing to see if 'his cash cow,' as he privately thought to himself was alright. Greed as is usual in his case won out as he moved forward to help Harry exclaiming with false concern "Harry my dear boy are you okay?"

I should explain, Uncle Vernon received a large monthly allowance for taking care of Harry. That the greedy pig spent it on himself and his family while Harry went without didn't matter to him. The House on Privet Drive, now completely paid off, and his yearly new car, plus holidays to the country with the family while Harry stayed behind with a sitter, and other such outings were only possible because of Harry's allowance. Uncle Vernon, always one to think fast on his feet, made up a story about how Harry had not been feeling well and had been in bed, harry was actually still in his night clothes so Uncle Vernon's story was believable and ended working in his favor.

The incident which ended Harrys forced exclusion from gatherings, better to keep him close and watched then unsupervised, also had another consequence not felt immediately. Uncle Vernon's boss worried for his employee called an inspector who he knew at the Office of Public Safety. This forced Uncle Vernon to relocate Harry to the spare room, much to the protesting whines of Dudley. Uncle Vernon locked him in the cupboard for nearly a week, while the room and floor were being repaired; except when he had to let him out to go to school, and to do chores.

When Harry was finally let out, he didn't last three days before he was in trouble again and locked up in the cupboard. It wasn't that he had done anything to get into trouble; it really was Dudley's own fault the dog had chased him up that tree. After all Dudley was usually the reason he ended up locked in the cupboard. "Harry bet you can't" is usually what starts the process but Harry had to admit that if he wouldn't taunt Dudley into doing it too, he would end up in less trouble. Harry's aunt and uncle never believed it was Dudley's Idea; No, It was always Harry the troublemaker.

Which leads us to today's little adventure. Harry had just arrived home from his public school; Dudley went to a Private School of course, to find Dudley and his three cohorts waiting for him. Dudley was most dangerous when his friends were with him, although he had stopped trying to beat up Harry two years ago when that freak cloud of bees swarmed around him and chased him away, Harry somehow got blamed for it and had spent days locked up in the cupboard.

"Harry bet you can't walk across old man Forester's back yard" it began.

"Come on Dudley I'm going to be late."

"Ha told you fellas, the wanker would be too scared to do it," Dudley declared in triumph.

"I am not too scared, besides you'd never do it so why should I?"

"Ha, Dudley's' a coward Harry says," mocked one of Dudley's flunkeys.

"Ohhh is Dudley going to grow feathers and lay eggs," Chimed another.

This is how it happens every time, Dudley makes the challenge to make Harry look bad in front of his friends; Harry turns it around on him; then Dudley's friends, and there is doubt that they are really his friends; egg him on so that he can't walk away with out looking bad. So with Harry in the lead and Dudley and his cohorts following close behind they went to old man Foresters yard. As they walked Harry wondered what had changed in old man Forester's yard that would make Dudley so sure he would chicken out. When they arrived he immediately saw the huge new doghouse in the back yard.

"Lord, that's one huge monster lives in that," commented one of the trio behind Harry.

Harry Paused; took a deep breath; and started across the yard, ready to run if the Monster stuck its head out of the doghouse. Harry reached the other side and let out a huge sigh of relief, the monster had not shown itself, but he then heard Dudley's friends taunting Dudley. As Harry turned to look Dudley started across the yard. All went well until Dudley got midway through the yard. Harry saw the monster first and yelled to Dudley to make a run for it but Dudley froze in terror instead. Dudley stayed frozen until half the huge dog was out of his doghouse, then instead of running back towards his friends, because that was a shorter run and Dudley was a bit of a porker not to mention slow, he turned and ran to the oak in old man Foresters yard. Dudley didn't miss a beat when he reached the tree; it almost looked like he ran up the side of the tree, he went up it so fast. The dog on the other hand didn't even bark, he just walked around the base of the tree contemplating whether the morsel in the tree was worth chewing through the tree to get to it. Of course Dudley's friends had run off the second the monster made it appearance so Harry was left to go ring on old man Forester's door. After a few minutes of explaining, and a chuckle or two, Mr. Forester went out and brought his dog into the house. But the trouble didn't end there, Dudley was now too terrified to climb down and there was nothing that Harry of Mr. Forester could say to change that, so the fire brigade was called and so were Harry's Aunt and Uncle.

Which returns us to Harry in the cupboard waiting to get punished; while Dudley was getting papered by his mom, and lectured about how Harry was such a terrible troublemaker and freak by his Dad.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter please review this so I know what you think any comments welcome and ask any questions you can think of.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

(A/N) I am posting this close to when I posted Chapter 2 because I had written most of it waiting to upload chapter 2.

I had an idea, or lazy me just stole it from someone else not sure which, that I want to propose to you. I'm starting a mini contest. The first 10 people that review my chapters and submit an idea that I can't use in the following chapter will be named in the A/N in the beginning of the chapter with their idea and mad prompts for stumping the writer.

Enjoy,

Tanis Grey

P.S.

A note from lazy me:

Hello there, readers of fanfiction. I would like to add that I am against this contest thingy; seems like too muck work to me.

But alas, I the voice of reason have been shouted down. So I leave it to you, dear readers, to make him see the error of his ways.

Thank you,

Yery Sinat

The Other Harry

Unlike his time in the Dursley's house, Harry loved going to school, and cherished all the friends he had there.

As Harry approached the school bus stop, his shoulders began to unbend as though a great pressure was being lifted. The normally somber and depressing atmosphere around him dissipated as he began to whistle one of the newest songs on the radio he had heard the other day on the school bus. Getting closer to the stop he finally saw her, Lana Elizabeth, the American Foreign exchange student. She had a weird last name that Harry couldn't ever quite remember, 'DuLake' he thought; yes that was it.

"Hey Lizzy" Harry called out as he approached. She turned towards him and began smiling knowingly.

"Hey Airy Otter" she said, her voice serious.

"Oh, come on, you're not still on about that, are you?" Harry groaned sheepishly.

Harry had teased her about her accent the other day and Lana had declared in front of the class that she would call him Airy Otter from then on until he begged for forgiveness in front of the class.

They continued their animated conversation, neither realizing how close they were to holding hands, but the large black grim dog did and his tail began to wag; the dog watched intently until they boarded the school bus.

By the time Harry reached the school, the very air around him seemed electrified. Harry was the second most popular kid in school, Lana being the most popular because she was an American.

Harry and Lana walked casually towards the front doors of the school where their friends waited.

They arrived to a chorus of hellos. Harry cheerfully joked with his chums as they walked to his homeroom.

Harry wasn't popular because he was athletic nor was he smarter than the average kid in school. He was popular because he earned the loyalty of those around him. Once while Dudley was still in school with him, Harry stopped him from bullying a smaller child by taking the bullying himself. Acts like that, and there were plenty because Dudley and his gang tended to find Harry in their sights more often than not, built Harry a large following. With Dudley getting early admittance into settings, Uncle Vernon's old private school, and how everyone saved by Harry spreading the word, he became the most popular boy in school.

In the beginning, his friends had asked if Harry would like to have a sleepover or such but after hearing Harry talk about how his aunt and uncle would never allow it, falsely assuming it was because they were over protective of him, they cheerfully accepted it and enjoyed his company at school.

One week before the school year came to a close, everyone was talking about what they were going to do during the summer when Lana pulled him to the side.

"Harry, I'm going to be eleven this summer and next year, I have to go to a new school here in England." She said sorrowfully.

"But, Why?" Harry said, shocked.

"It's just, it's just, it's just because I have to." She said and dashed off before he could say anything else.

Harry stood there wondering why all the good things and people were always taken away from him; Lana didn't come back to school.

One Month later:

A grim dog strolled down Privet Drive towards #4 when an old lady seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"What are you doing here, Sirius" said the old lady in an angry whisper.

'Busted' the animagus Sirius Black thought.

"Well come along then" the old lady motioned sternly and he followed her.

In her house, Sirius quickly changed and then transfigured himself clothes.

"Well, , you seem well" Sirius began as he entered the room.

"Don't you try weaseling out of answering my question, Sirius, you know damn well you're not supposed to be here, you're too noticeable." She lectured.

"Damnit, he's my nephew. I should be able to see him once in a while.

sighed and then said, "Sirius love, you know it's for his own good."

Fustrated, Sirius nodded, "But, damnit, it's not fair."

"Cheer up, Sirius" began sweetly, "Young Harry will be eleven in just a few weeks and you'll be able to see him all the time at Hogwarts.''

"Yes, he will," Sirius smiled, "And, yes I will."

"So, how's that thing between you and Snipe going?" said, cautiously and knowingly.

"Thing, you call it, thing huh, why that sneaky slimy…" Sirius said, settling into his favorite rant while sitting in the chair offered which happened to look out at #4 Privet Drive.

Two weeks before school notices were scheduled to be sent out, and Albus Dumbledore sat in a chair in 's living room, the same one Sirius had sat in less than two weeks earlier though he didn't know it, and remembered that horrible night James and Lily Potter died. He remembered how he arrived at #4 Privet Drive to find the Gryffindor Head Deputy Headmistress, Professor McGonagall waiting for him. It's to NO surprise she had been there. She remembered that night well.

When he apparated onto Privet drive, his first thought was to get this sorry business over with, then he realized someone else was there. When he looked up, he chuckled and muttered at the cat sitting stiffly before #4 Privet drive, "I should have known."

He used his Put-Outer to darken the street and then walked over and sat next to the cat.

"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall." He said as he turned to face the tabby, except that the cat had been replaced by a rather severe looking woman wearing glasses and an emerald cloak.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked.

"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."

"You'd be stiff if you'd been sittind on a brick wall all day." Said Professor McGonagall.

And so continued their banter as they discussed the celebration of the defeat of "You-Know-Who" as Professor called him or "Voldemort" as Dumbledore did. Then the discussion turned to the Potters and a dismayed McGonagall verified what had until now only been a rumor. They were dead and only Harry Potter had survived. Still unnerved as she was she finally got around to asking why he was here. The answer that Harry was to live here made her furious.

"HERE! NEVER!'' She growled angerly.

"There is no choice" Dumbledore replied sadly.

"But, these people, their,'' she stumbled. "Their nothing like us, and they will never be able to explain things to him. What about Sirius?" she finished plaintively.

"No, it's not possible. Though he was cleared of the charges against him, he's still only Harry's uncle by marriage" Dumbledore replied.

Dumbledore never told her the other reason he wanted Harry left with the Dursleys, fear.

Fear of what Sibyll had said to him in her prediction.

Most people thought that Divination Professor Sibyll Trelawney was a fraud, except for Dumbledore who knew that when she gave a true prediction, it would come true. The only problem was that she couldn't control her ability nor did she ever remember predicting anything.

He wondered if he had only postponed the inevitable by leaving Harry Potter with the Dursleys, but now he feared he had no choice. The school would be sending out the letters to the students soon and sure enough Sirius Black would make sure Harry went to Hogwarts. Well he had prepared as well as possible so now it was time to set things in motion. He thanked Mrs. Figg for her hospitality and took his leave.

Harry shuffled down the stairs half asleep; he couldn't believe there was only two weeks left in the summer holidays. As he was passing the front door the mail came through the slot. Without thinking he picked it up and started sorting it. Two postcards for Aunt Petunia from some friends of hers taking holiday in France and Italy, Uncle Vernon got two letters that looked like bills and a postcard from his sister Marge who was on the Isle of Wight for her holiday, and Harry saw the final letter was addressed to him. This was only the second time anything had been delivered for him and the thick and heavy envelope made from some yellowish parchment was definitely addressed to him in emerald-green ink.

Mr. H. Potter

The smallest room in the house

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

Harry found no return address on the front and turned it over only to find a large purple seal. It was a wax seal like kings use thought Harry as he examined the seal. The coat of arms in the wax was bizarre he thought a Lion, an Eagle, a Badger, and a Snake surrounding a large H. He was getting ready to open the letter when Dudley came down the stairs.

"Harry's opening one of your letters" Dudley yelled as he grabbed the letter out of Harry's hand and ran into the kitchen.

"Hey, that's mine," Harry said while trying to snatch it back from Dudley.

"Who would write you," Uncle Vernon snorted as he snapped the letter away from Dudley.

Uncle Vernon popped the seal and fetched out the letter which he opened with a snap of his wrist. His eyes started to scan the page when he suddenly gasped, and his face turned a grayish-green color.

"P-Petunia," Uncle Vernon stammered as he reached a hand out to steady himself.

"What is it dear," She replied having not been paying attention to what had been going on.

Vernon stuck the letter in front of her and she began to read it when a hiss of anger escaped from her mouth.

"To your rooms," Uncle Vernon shouted to both the boys when aunt petunia Hissed.

Dudley stood there dumbfounded as harry argued with his father about the letter. His father had never sent him to his room; it must have been a mistake he thought. Suddenly his father, having had enough of Harry demanding his letter and Dudley just standing there, grabbed both of them by the scruffs of their necks and frog marched them out of the room. Having closed and locked the kitchen door behind him, Vernon turned and looked at Petunia with trepidation.

"Never!" Petunia growled furiously "I won't allow that freakish boy to follow in his mother's footsteps."

"We shouldn't bother answering the letter," Vernon said thoughtfully.

"My parents so proud when Lily got hers," jealousy and anger dripping from her every word, "but I knew. I knew that she was a freak."

"We'll burn it and say we never received it should someone ask," Vernon said sweat trickling down his face.

"I swore I'd stomp out that nonsense in this boy and I mean to do so," she continued ranting.

And so it went, Vernon planning the excuse they would use and Petunia ranting about Harry.

The next day Harry woke early dressed and quietly walked down the stairs; he opened the door and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Uncle Vernon sitting in front of the door. Uncle Vernon of course sent him back to his room as the postman delivered the mail which contained two more letters addressed to Harry.

From then on the number of letters doubled each day, and when they reached sixteen Uncle Vernon took a vacation from work and turned the house into a fortress; when the letters reached sixty-four Uncle Vernon decided it was time to flee Privet Drive. Uncle Vernon had seen a lot of spy movies and so he took some bizarre evasive tactics in his car, when night fell he pulled into a hotel he had picked at random. In the morning he woke triumphantly proclaiming his victory until the hotel manager told him a H. Potter had received some hundred plus letters and what did they want to do with them all. Aunt Petunia made a bonfire out of the letters while laughing and chanting "not this boy oh no not him," Uncle Vernon loaded them up in the car and off they went again.

Uncle Vernon drove like a man possessed; he drove all day barely stopping for petrol and only one other time because Petunia had to use the bathroom. By the end of the day they had reached the end of the isle. Uncle Vernon turned onto a dirt road, the road ended at a rundown shack; he left them in the car when he got out and talked with the man sitting in front of the shack. He returned mumbling about how there was no post out there, and only one boat to get there in. Harry had sat through days of confusion and this deserted, it was also cold and it appeared to be getting ready to rain, place was the last straw.

"STOP!" yelled Harry.

"Watch your" began both his aunt and uncle at the same time.

"Enough," Harry interrupted, "I can't stand anymore."

"Listen boy" Uncle Vernon started red faced.

"No you listen," interrupted Harry again, "What are you running from. What was in that letter" he finished demandingly.

Aunt Petunia looked at her hands in the silence that followed. Could it be, he sounded like her now too. Resigned to what was sure to happen she opened her handbag and passed the one letter she had saved to Harry. As he opened it she wondered once again why she had saved it.

Harry took the letter and began to read:

Mr. H. Potter

Room 17

Railview Hotel

Cokeworth

He opened the envelope; took out the parchment inside; unfolded it; and continued to read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

"I don't understand," Harry said after reading the letter for the second time.

Uncle Vernon sighed knowing that it was far too late to pretend things were going to be okay. In a strained voice he began, "Well Harry you see…"

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Until next time,

Tanis Grey

P.S.

Please review I would really like your opinions, thoughts, and heck just say hello.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

(A/N) Vacations are a wonderful thing I had a great time, got home and had to move, not so great. So the story continues. Well thank you to those listed below for reading my story and liking it enough to add it as follows:

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And now for my regularly scheduled plea:

_**Please**_ : **Read and** pretty please with sugar, whipped cream, and a cherry on top have mercy on me, **Review this story**.

A stitch in time saves?

Dudley sat in the back seat next to Harry furious. He knew that he was a spoiled brat, so what it was his birthright to be more important than that freak of a cousin of his. How dare that ingrate Potter talk to his parents like that, he was nothing more that a freak, instead they just sat there quietly. 'Why' he thought 'why don't you just put him back in his rightful place, and the more he thought that, the more confused and angry he became. It was the confusion that kept his normally rampant mouth silent.

"Well Harry you see…" began Vernon.

"Vernon dear" interrupted Petunia "lets get home first, these two boys need a good nights sleep and we have much to explain to both of them."

"Yes dear" Vernon replied as he started the car.

Harry began to complain about being left in the dark again but, the yawn that escaped his mouth took the wind out of that idea. Maybe, just maybe, his Aunt Petunia was really thinking about him this time.

Dudley sat their dumbfounded had his mother just said that the freak should be taken care of, was that real concern he had heard in her voice for the freak?

"NO," Dudley yelled as he leaped across the rear seat; grabbed Harry by the neck; began squeezing tightly, and banging his head on the car door. Harry was losing consciousness from lack of air when suddenly he felt himself and Dudley burst apart. With his air supply returned he looked around to find himself and Dudley sitting on the edge of the road several yards behind the car they had just been sitting in, which was now swerving wildly on the road as it tried to come to a complete stop.

"Arrgh" yelled Dudley and Harry as they both ran at each other determined to finish the other off.

"You fat oaf," Harry yelled as he delivered a perfect, for the first time that he ever tried to hit anybody, punch to Dudley's nose.

"You're dead FREAK" Dudley snarled as he planted a blow to Harry's eye.

The two of them stood there yelling punching and bleeding at and on each other for what seemed like an eternity, until a set of meaty hands grabbed them by their necks and banged their heads together. As they fell to the road they both look up to see Vernon looking down on both of them.

"Have you two had enough?" Uncle Vernon said lividly, "or shall I give you both something to think about?"

"No, we're fine," they both said the anger gone from their eyes.

The ride back was quiet after that animated beginning. Harry and Dudley were ushered to bed as soon as they entered the house. Vernon kept a watch on the two lads while Petunia did the one thing she had dreaded doing since finding Harry wrapped up in a blanket on the front step. She opened the front door and held the note, she had just written with dread and anguish, up in the air in her shaking hand.

"Okay you wretched owl come get it," petunia whispered praying that no one would see what she was doing.

The black and brown owl had been waiting for a letter or any package to need to be delivered from number 4 Private Lane since he was little more that an owlet. His master had warned him that there was really no chance that he would be summoned so he nearly didn't respond when he noticed the raised hand. He swooped down and landed chirping excitedly while the weird lady kept shushing him. Finally she gave him the letter and told him to deliver it to his master.

Sirius Black sat in his study contemplating what to do about the prohibition against seeing his nephew Harry when he heard tapping on his window. Their Finniwig stood on the windowsill with a letter in its beak. Sirius sat there actually dumbfounded until Finniwig tapped again on the window impatiently. In his rush to get the window open he nearly tripped and went through it instead. Letting Finniwig in he took the letter, walked back to his desk, hands shaking from excitement, he turned it over to see who it was from, could it be that they let Harry write him? Sirius gasped and sat down heavily on the seat, it was from Petunia Dursley herself. He opened the letter and read:

Dear Sirius,

I know that we don't see eye-to-eye about magic or much else. I was too jealous of Lily to have been a proper sister to her and I now have not been a worthy Aunt to poor Harry. He's so like her I don't want to lose my second chance, so please come to the house tomorrow (and for once do remember that I have neighbors and dress like a normal person please) and help me talk to him about magic and wizard stuff. Perhaps you could stay a few days if you need to. Anyway hope your well.

Petunia D

Sirius whooped in joy he would see Harry tomorrow, and then he stopped himself and reread the note from Petunia, and decided to honor her request about his form of dress. So many things to do before tomorrow and so little time, calling out to Kreacher he began organizing he's trip.

Dudley's face -swollen nose and all- was inches from Harry's, his incessant taping awakened Harry; "what," Harry asked him groggily reaching for his glasses.

"Dad and mum want us downstairs now," Dudley responded sullenly "guess you'll get your answers now freak," he finished under his breath.

Harry climbed out of bed and dressed quickly; he looked at Dudley and vowed never to let himself be bothered by him again. Never again would he let anyone intimidate him, no he would stop being 'Scary Potter' and he would be like the Potter Lizzy liked. Harry snorted as he looked into the mirror and noticed the shiner Dudley had given him. Brushing past Dudley he walked out of the room and down the stairs. As he entered the kitchen he saw his Aunt looking worriedly towards the front door.

Breakfast was already made and waiting and he began to help him self to some bacon, Dudley tried to snatch the last of the bacon when Harry knocked his fork out of the way and finished getting the bacon he wanted. Dudley began to complain but realized that his mother and father weren't paying any attention to him.

Sirius Black walked down Private Drive confused, why were these muggles laughing at him? He once again looked down at his bright green and purple jacket, orange pants, and bright pink shoes. They were the same style that the muggles were wearing at least he thought so. This muggle clothing was more complicated than he had originally thought. Perhaps he should have done a little more studying before he had come here, perhaps Petunia could tell him where he had gone wrong.

Petunia's heightened sense of normality became aware of the commotion before she realized that it was coming her way. 'Dear lord' she thought had that dim witted freak of a wizard just poofed like some idiot right in front of her door, no there were rules for that she thought she remembered being told, then what could be the commotion outside. She rose from the table and rushed to the front door opening it just before Sirius actually knocked.

"Sirius, what a pleasant surprise," she said as she took in the absurd clown costume he wore, then she did the only thing she could. She fainted.

"Good god man get in here before any more of my neighbors think the circus is performing at my house" Uncle Vernon groaned as he caught Aunt Petunia in mid fall, "bloody fool who but you would wear those ridiculous colors as if they were normal."

Harry stood in the hallway by his old room witnessing the impossible, a crazy man in some of the ugliest colored clothes he had ever seen was being invited in to his aunt's house.

"Are you a color blind idiot Sirius?" Aunt Petunia said groggily as she recovered from her faint.

"Color blind? You mean there's something wrong with these colors?" Sirius said perplexed.

Uncle Vernon made a funny choking noise and Aunt Petunia simply sighed.

Harry looked at the strange man his aunt had called Sirius and blurted out "who are you?"

"Harry," Sirius said joyfully, "lad you've grown so much, let me take a good look," he continued as he stepped around looking up and down Harry critically.

"I see Horace has been feeding you well," Sirius began.

"Horace, who's" Aunt Petunia began interrupting Sirius.

"How do you know about Horace," Harry startled everyone with a yell, "he's imaginary" he finished in a mumble.

"Horace not imaginary" said Horace suddenly appearing before everyone, "just not to be seen by any but you, unless master is around. Horace took good care of Master Harry do real good job Master Sirius just as you told me to."

"SIRIUS, you put one of those creatures in my house" yelled Aunt Petunia.

"What is that?" said both Dudley and Uncle Vernon.

"Lets not get sidetracked here" Sirius said evasively "you asked me here didn't you Petunia?"

Harry got extremely upset as the adults simply didn't understand that he wanted all the answers now.

"You didn't answer me, who are you?" Harry said venomously , "and don't ignore me."

"Now just one second…" every one began only to be stopped short when Harry looked at them his eyes blazing blood red and hissed "Enough, Answer me."

Sirius Black didn't hesitate without thinking he whipped out his wand and then found himself pointing it at Harry.

Dudley had stood there watching as the most amazing thing happened, the guy in the weird colored clothing (Sirius something) pointed a stick at Harry and told him to calm down, then Harry hissed like a snake and moved to attack Sirius. Suddenly it was something out of Star Wars colored things like a cross between lightning bolts and bright colored balls leapt from the stick Sirius was holding while he said weird things and flew towards Harry and red crackling lightning from Harry's hands smashed them away. The bolts smashed into the furniture and things began to catch on fire, His parents finally shocked into motion by this grabbed him up and they darted from the room.

Sirius Black was running out of benign spells to use and Harry seemed lost in some deep down rage, he knew there was no reasoning with him until he got him to calm down. What was troubling was this incredibly strong and raw power Harry was using, it was corrupting Sirius's magic and now most of the living room was on fire, he had only one spell he could think of left to try before he would have to resort to the more powerful spells he knew.

"Expecto Patronum" and suddenly a ghostly white dog appeared before Harry. Surprised Harry took a step back and tried to pet the friendly dog relaxing enough to let his rage and immediately passed out. Sirius watched shocked as Harry began falling to the floor then cast Wingardium Leviosa and floated Harry gently in the air.

"Better clean up this mess" Sirius mumbled to himself and then with a few swift spells returned everything to the way it was before the bizarre incident with Harry.

Harry awoke with a start, and found himself gently restrained, almost immediately Sirius began speaking.

"Sorry Harry I wasn't, no we weren't ignoring you so, let's start over okay. Let me tell you about _our _world, I mean. _Your _world. _Your parents' _world."

"What world?" Harry asked.

"I know things have been kept from you by your aunt and uncle" began Sirius.

"Kept what things from me?" Harry interrupted eagerly.

"Harry - you are a Wizard."

There was silence inside the house at that statement.

"I'm a what?" gasped Harry.

"A Wizard, of course," repeated Sirius, "just like your parents, and you'll be a bloody good one I'd say, once you get trained up some at Hogwarts."

"You KNEW!" Harry began angrily "You knew I was a - Wizard?"

"Knew!" Started Aunt Petunia Hotly, then sighed and continued softly, "Of course we knew."

Then with an anger and sorrow Harry had never heard from his aunt she continued, "How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was. Oh, she got one of those letters like you did and disappeared off to that - that school - and came home with her frog spawn, turning teacups into rats. But, for our mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were so proud of HER, there precious daughter Lily the witch of the family.

She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went on with her rant. It seemed like she had been waiting to say this for years.

"But, what about me, Not a word, not for their ordinary daughter, NO Lily was the special one. Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you, and of course I knew you'd be the same, SPECIAL, and what of my family of my Dudley, and then she went and got herself blown up and we ended up with you." Aunt Petunia paused, then finished with a bitter resignation in her voice, "But I … I was so jealous I couldn't see until it was too late, Oh Harry, you remind me so much of her I couldn't ….. I couldn't stop myself, I'm so sorry I really am." Aunt Petunia finish with a sob.

Harry had gone very white. He had lived a lie, it had all been lies. "You told me they died in a car crash!" confused anger in his voice, "Blown up! My parents were blown up. How? Why?"

"Harry," sighed Sirius, "that's what I'm here to tell you, after all it wouldn't be right to send you to Hogwarts without you knowing, after all your just as famous as Lily and James are. But remember, I can only tell you the parts I know, some parts are great mystery even today, parts of it are well…"

He sat down, stared off into the distance for a few seconds, and then continued, "It begins, I suppose, with - With a person called Voldemort."

"Who?"

"Remember this Harry, most Wizards and Witches won't say his name even today, See Voldemort was a Wizard who went to the dark. As bad as you can go and worse. Worse then worse even."

"Anyway about twenty years ago now, he started looking for followers. And he got them too, some were afraid, some just wanted a bit of the power he had, Because he was truly powerful. Dark days those were Harry, didn't know who to trust, didn't dare get too friendly with strange Wizards or Witches, and so many terrible things happened. He was taking over, and some stood up to him but, he just killed them. One of the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Everyone figured that Dumbledore's the only one Voldemort was ever afraid of. Didn't dare try taking the school, not just then, any way."

"Your mom and dad were as good a Witch and Wizard as I have ever had the pleasure of calling family. Head boy and girl at Hogwarts in their day! The Mystery is why Voldemort never tried to get them on his side before that night, probably knew they were too close to Dumbledore to want anything to do with him and the Dark."

"Maybe that night he thought he could persuade them…maybe he just wanted to get them out of the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where they were living, on Halloween ten years ago. You were just a year old at the time. He came to your house and - and -" Sirius paused to look over at Petunia, who was sobbing uncontrollably in Vernon's arms. Vernon looked up at his pause in understanding and gratitude. Then Sirius went on.

"Voldemort killed them. Here is where the real mystery deepens to the unknown, he tried to kill you too. Wanted to make a clean job of it," he said angrily "I suppose, or maybe he just like killing by then. But, he couldn't do it. Ever wonder how you got that scar on your forehead? That's no ordinary cut. That's what you get when a powerful, evil curse touches you - took care of your parents and destroyed the whole second floor of your house except your crib and the floor around it - but it didn't work on you, and that's why your famous, Harry. No one ever lived after he decided to kill them, no one except you, and he killed some of the best and strongest Witches and Wizards of the age - the McKinnons, the Bones, the Prewetts - and you was only a baby, and you lived."

Something very painful was going on in Harry's mind. As Sirius's story came to an end, he saw again the blinding flash of green light, the one he had as a nightmare many a night - and for the first time he remembered something else: a high, cold, cruel laugh.

"What happened to Voldemort? Where did he go?" asked Harry.

"good question, Harry. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried to kill you. Makes you even more famous. That's the biggest mystery of all, why as he was reaching the pinnacle of his power and surpassing it - why did he go?"

"But, enough of this for now we can talk more later, I know you have loads of questions, but we have to get your supplies tomorrow so you need to get some more rest."

As Harry Potter slept to the cruel laughter in his mind, Sirius Black spent time with Dudley, doing magic for him and explaining things with a patience that would have surprised most. In the end Dudley figured the freak, he couldn't get past that at all, could be okay since he'd be gone lots now. It was the last thing that Sirius told him that made his head hurt, why would he have to go to this Hogwarts too? And why had his parents not told him of it sooner? After all the letter Sirius gave him was just like the one Harry got.

Mr. D. Dursley

The Next Largest Room in the House

4 Privet Drive

Little Whining

Surrey

He opened the envelope; took out the parchment inside; unfolded it; and continued to read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Dursley,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Due to a terrible error on the part of this school your original letter was not sent last year, so please accept our heart felt apologies.

Term begins on September 1. No owl will be necessary at this letter is being hand delivered.

Yours sincerely,

Severus Snape

Acting Deputy Headmaster

Hope you enjoyed this latest Chapter.


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